Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette compares Mitch Marner to a Detroit Red Wings legend

Panthers head coach Andrew Brunette had a chance to address the media this morning and when he was asked about Leafs superstar Mitch Marner in particular, he drew a very interesting comparison for the 24-year-old winger.

Marner, like Datsyuk, is very good at creating space where there appears to be very little to work with. He's also an unbelievably solid defensive player and has extremely good hand-eye coordination to be able to knock down pucks and either spring teammates on breakaways or blast off himself.

Marner and Datsyuk are very similar in stature - Marner at 6'00 and 172 lbs, while Datsyuk, just a bit thicker, stands 5'10 and 189 lbs. Both move extremely well and see the ice differently than everyone else, seeing plays develop before they even happen. Like Marner, Datsyuk has not recorded a 100+ point season in the NHL, but both have been ridiculously close to doing so.

Obviously, there are just as many differences between the two players as there are similarities, but the one that stands out is the hardware. While Marner has a bright future and is likely to bring home some hardware in his time, Datsyuk has two Stanley Cups, three Selke Trophies and four Lady Byng Trophies to his credit.

Honestly, for Brunette to pick Datsyuk of all players as a comparable to Marner, it shows the level of respect that the Panthers have for Marner's game. Brunette had the honour of playing against Datsyuk for a number of years, so he's very familiar with his game and with how deceptive the long-time Red Wing was.

Marner has a long way to go to become the player that Datsyuk was, but just to be compared to a legend like Datsy is a huge honour.